GROWING... GROWING...

Our baby is now 3 months old!! Waaah! I don't want him to grow up!

Enzo is growing so fast, he looks a lot different from when we took him home from the hospital. He looked so small then. Now, it looks like he just suddenly sprouted. He's chubbier, more active, more curious and LOUD!

Yesterday, we were at the mall and I was in line at the cashier and I could hear him shrieking a few feet away. Not crying at all, but just shrieking, like "Get on with it, Mom! I wanna get out of here! shriek. It was crazy! I told Ruther, "Oh my goodness, we have a shrieking baby". So now, he shrieks when he has poop, he shrieks when he's happy, he shrieks when he's bored, he shrieks when he's sleepy and he shrieks when he's mad.

Oh, I hope this isn't a permanent thing...

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The dress I bought on sale last Saturday needs a bit of tweaking. I mean, it fits me, but it doesn't fit me that well. Well, around the chest area is the problem. I would need to do some altering on my own since it would be too late to bring the dress to the seamstress. I hope it won't look tacky.

I still don't know what to wear for tomorrow's wedding. The ceremony will be at 8am and it might be chilly then (with the venue being in Tagaytay) but I'm sure at around 10, it will become too warm for a long-sleeved blouse. I'm just making mountains out of molehills, I know. But I don't want to get sick! Already today, my throat is itchy and I'm starting to cough a little. It would be even harder for me to get sick now because Mama's helper will be going home for the holidays. No. Absolutely cannot get sick now. Gotta take my vitamin C and nip this cold in the bud!

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I have no idea how to make Ethan eat more. He's just so thin now it's worrying me to no end. We try to encourage him to eat and try new food but he's always, "no, thank you". AARGH!!! What do I do?

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With Christmas approaching, I feel as though I have a lot of things to do. Have to think of what to prepare for Noche Buena (midnight Christmas meal), tidy up the rooms in the house, schedule chores (because the helper will be away) and all that. I don't even have Ruther's present yet! Sigh... How did this Christmas get so out of control?

PRESENTS

Ruther wants the iPhone 4. Not necessarily for Christmas, but to own.

I can't get that for him. There is a lot of frustration on my part when it's time to buy presents, especially for Ruther. Because I'm a stay-at-home mom and don't earn anything, it's annoying that I can't buy gifts using my money. Because in a way, it's Ruther's money that we're spending because he earned it. When I buy presents for him, it still feels like he's buying his own presents because I use his money to buy his presents. Get it?

So yeah, it's veeery frustrating.

And I can't get him the iPhone 4 for sure. Where will I get that kind of money? So, most of the time, I just let him get what he truly wants to have/own for birthdays or holidays because what's the use? I'm just buying him presents using his money, right? Sigh...

Wish I was earning my own darn money...

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This week we're going to attend 2 weddings. On Wednesday, Ruther's officemate will be getting married and on Thursday, it'll be his cousin.

During both occasions, we'll have no choice but to bring Enzo because no one is available to babysit. Plus, the fact that I'm breastfeeding and that Enzo is very particular about it will make separating us very difficult. We won't be bringing Nikki and Ethan on Wednesday because the location of the wedding is in Tagaytay, a city a few hours away from Manila and since Ethan is still recovering, it would be better for him to be with Nikki and stay at home. On Thursday though, we could bring them because we're sure that kids are welcome at the wedding and besides, it's family. It'll be so great to see everyone!

I'll be wearing my dress (bought yesterday) for the wedding on Thursday. Will be wearing another dress for the wedding in Tagaytay. Do you realize that it's hard to pick a dress when you have breastfeeding in mind? And a formal dress at that. Hopefully, everyone will have a fun time. That's the most important thing, I suppose. :D

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Today, Ruther and I went to the mall for some groceries and buying the remaining presents for Christmas. You will not believe the people in the mall these days. It's like there's no more tomorrow. Now that this is the last weekend before Christmas, it seems as though everyone's doing their last-minute shopping! It's absolutely crazy! The crowd, I mean, not the shopping.

Anyway, in the midst of all the jostling and inching and noise and Christmas music, I found a very lovely dress that only cost me P200 (approx. US$4.52)! I plan on wearing it to a wedding this Thursday. I was so worried about what I was going to wear for ages and suddenly, I spotted the dress and knew I wanted it. So we bought it and it fitted me nicely. I got some strappy sandals to go with it which cost only P230. Nice huh. A great outfit plus shoes for less than P500. So happy.

Anyway, we continued with our shopping and then headed home. When I had the chance, I checked the tag and underneath the current price, I saw that the dress previously cost P1,199.75 (approx. US$27.12). Cool! It was like P1,000 less!! What a great find! Can't wait to wear it on Thursday!

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We were not able to buy the presents today so we're going to do that tomorrow. Hopefully, we'll be able to get everything then because the mall-goers and shoppers are just everywhere!! So unbelievably crazy! Whenever I would hear over the PA "We would like to request the companion of a lost boy...", it gives me chills because I don't want that happening to me!! It'd be a nightmare! I remember nearly losing Ethan at SM Mall of Asia and I just get cold all over. Never. Ever. Happening. Again.

Anyway, hoping our shopping tomorrow will go smoothly. Still dunno what to get for Ruther though...

SURPRISINGLY COLD

Last year at around this time, it didn't feel like it was December at all. It was warm and hot and uncomfortable. This time though, especially in the early mornings, it would get quite cool, much to my boys' delight.

I remember years ago, when we would wake up for school, there would sometimes be a bit of fog outside the house and we would need to wear jackets. It was a nice way to start the morning. This time, it's not really jacket weather and there definitely is no more fog, but at least we still feel a bit of the chill at dawn.

Sometimes, I wish I could show my boys a glimpse of the past just so they would know how much things have changed in 2 decades. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a time machine?

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We're trying to come up with plans for the holidays. I want my boys to have some fun after all the sickness and the coughing and the puking, so we might try Enchanted Kingdom (that's an amusement park) or maybe Manila Ocean Park for their colorful water show. I think the boys would like either one. We also want to watch this circus show on the 27th but we haven't gotten tickets yet. Hopefully they aren't all out.

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I look sooo FAT right now, it's hideous!! I can't believe I've gotten this big in just a few months! I'm finding it harder and harder losing weight these days. Oh and those people saying breastfeeding will make you lose weight? Not true. At least in MY experience.

Now I'm doing Wii Fit. Well I did a few days ago until right until the time Nikki got sick and then I had to stop. And then Ethan's sick. So I had to put it off for a few more days. Now that everyone's on the road to recovery, I just might start Wii Fitting tomorrow. Can't wait! I know I have a lot of fat to burn.

Sigh.

ALL SET FOR CHRISTMAS?

We have yet to buy presents for Ruther, my brother and the boys and then that's it. Our Christmas shopping is complete.

I guess with Enzo arriving late in the year, Christmas shopping was pushed back a bit this year. Nevertheless, most of the presents are under our tree now. Ruther and I will be going out this weekend for the rest of the presents and after that, I could put gift shopping out of my head.

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These past weeks have been so stressful. Nikki was sick and vomited a lot and I was so worried we would have to bring him to the hospital. My sister suggested a CBC to rule out dengue fever and thank goodness it wasn't. I had to nurse him slowly because of the vomiting. He would drink sips of water and a spoonful of food every hour. It was so stressful! But good thing he got better. He's still a bit weak and lost a lot of weight but I'm just glad he's well now. He got so lethargic it was really worrisome. And now that he's better, Ethan is the one sick. He's coughing now and has a bit of fever. Because of this, I asked them to temporarily sleep in the family room for now. Nikki doesn't mind but Ethan still has some issues about it. Sigh. I just hope everyone will be A-OK by Christmas. It doesn't help at all that Nikki and Ethan needs antibiotics. Such a nightmare! Three doses everyday! Argh! Good thing Ethan no longer fights me when I try to give him his meds. Before, we would need to restrain him just so he would drink his medicine! Sigh. Why do we have to do this to our kids?

Anyway, my only hope is that Ethan gets all better soon. He's not coughing as much now but he's gotten sooo thin, I just want him to start eating already. He's very picky with his food and won't eat rice at all! It's soooo frustrating! I really don't know what to do about it any more. Even Ruther has been getting so irritated but I tell him not to force Ethan or he'd hate eating completely. Sigh. Why oh why oh why oh why...

Enzo is doing very well with breastmilk. He's gotten chubby and round I call him "chipmunk" because of his cute cheeks! Hope he stays healthy always.

Anyway, I hope after Ethan recovers, I would be done with sickness and fever and vomiting.

Sigh.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Well, I gave birth! Last September 20. His name is Dylan Mackenzie and he's turning 3 months on the 20th... I know... I should have blogged sooner but you have NO idea about the busy-ness around here. It's just got completely out of hand! And I only have 3 kids!! I always wonder how the Duggers do it...

Anyway, here's a photo of our little tyke:

Enzo at 1 month. He's got lots of hair!


Now that I have three boys to take care of (not including Ruther), it's just been so crazy! I have had to adjust again, plus, homeschooling certainly did not make things easier. Also, I decided to try breastfeeding this time because I didn't get to do that with Nikki and Ethan. Once I got past the first month of pain (and I mean P>A>I>N), we're now breastfeeding nicely. I guess I had to give it a go with Enzo being our last baby...

It's wonderful having a baby again. I stare at Enzo all day and still can't get enough of him. It's like he just suddenly appeared out of nowhere! I just love him to bits.

The boys are all over him too. I'm happy to report that there is no rivalry whatsoever among my sons. Which is very reassuring.

After I gave birth, I had to slow it down because of my operation (had myself ligated) and of course, from delivery. Good thing I gave birth normally but the pain was just ... indescribable. Not to scare you childless women, but that's how it went. My sister was with me in the delivery room (Ruther couldn't get in because he wasn't a doctor) and she videoed me screaming my head off during the last seconds before Enzo popped right out. Now my mom thinks I've scarred her for life. Well, I was in pain!! What was I to do? Moan quietly? Sheesh!

During his second day home, Enzo surprised us because he was trying to hold his head up already! Whoa! He was quite active in my tummy but we didn't think he would be this physical! Anyway, I'm over lamenting about having a girl. I guess it would have been nice but Enzo is such a joy that I no longer linger over baby girl clothes at the mall. He's a wonderful addition to our family. And Ruther is quite happy as well.

More updates soon!

SEPTEMBER

It's September already. I might be giving birth in a couple of weeks, I might not. Who knows? But the baby has been really active these past few weeks. Even Ruther sometimes gets surprised at his movements because it would feel like he could just burst out of my tummy at any moment. I'm just hoping that the baby will come soon because we're all quite excited to see him...

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I watched Prince of Persia the other day and I liked it. I find the story engaging and I liked the relationship of the brothers in the story. We also got to watch Karate Kid and I dunno, I didn't like it as much as other people I guess. I suppose I expected more from it because of the positive reviews from friends but after I watched it I was left wanting. It did entertain, of course. I would love to watch Inception though. I missed that one at the movies! Had to settle for Salt. But I enjoyed that one too. Would love to watch more movies in the next few weeks...

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The baby's drawer is now ready. I already fixed all the clothes and stuff neatly and it's all ready. Am still wondering if we ought to buy a bassinet. When Nikki and Ethan were babies they had cribs but they hardly slept in them. They usually slept with us on the bed (which is pretty normal in our culture). Since I'm planning on breastfeeding I don't think I would need a bassinet or crib for the baby because he'd be with me most of the time. So maybe I'll just get the baby something else, like a baby bouncer.

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Our friend from Japan, Yuko came to Manila for a business trip last August 19 and we met up with her one weekend (21st and 22nd) to take her places. She's the person in charge of accommodations in Yokohama so I know her pretty well. It was wonderful to see her and meeting up with her made me miss Japan so much. We took her to Tagaytay (Saturday) which is south of Manila and she got to try some Filipino foods, fruits and delicacies, and she also got to see Taal Volcano and to ride Zipline, a popular ride there. On Sunday, we took her to Intramuros (a historical place in Manila), the Rizal Monument and Mall of Asia. It was a pretty tiring weekend but it was wonderful to spend time with her. This weekend, Asuka, another Japanese friend of ours will be coming and we'll be meeting up with her on Saturday. I can't wait!

THE PAST DAYS...

It's been a somewhat busy week. Last Friday, Nikki had science experiments with his homeschool class and there were just too many (seven!) it was exhausting by the time we were done. It was kind of fun too, but it was difficult to cram 7 experiments in 3 hours. Hopefully next time, we'd have fewer experiments and more time to appreciate the lessons.

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I've been trying to come up with ideas for the baby's baptism. I know it's too early but I just want to be prepared. I'm thinking of the candles for the ceremony, the baby's clothes, the baby favors, the venue and our budget. With Ruther back in the Philippines we can't afford to overspend because the money coming in is not as much as when he's out of the country. So we might have to to tighten our belts this next few months.

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Speaking of money, I'm more and more inclined to finding work in the next few months after the baby is born. I would so love to work in Japan (if I'm lucky enough to be sponsored) but at the same time, I'm having qualms about leaving the boys. It'll be tough and I know I could handle it (with much crying and heartache of course) but can they? That's what worries me to no end. But as early as now, I'm trying to apply already. Am hoping to get some good replies later...

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Ruther has been feeling kind of low these past days. There has been some coughing and sneezing at his office and I think he's getting it too. Been making him take Vitamin C and juices and so far he hasn't been feverish. Hopefully he won't get sick these next few days...

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The baby kicks and moves around a lot these days my sleep gets disturbed. I sometimes wake up with an urgent need to pee or, a slight pain in my belly because of all the moving and twisting and turning. The baby is soooo active it's a miracle I'm not in labor yet! Sigh...

BABY

Ruther took this cute photo. :D

RAMBLING ON... AND ON...

I have been feeling antsy for the past days and I don't know exactly why.

Maybe it's because I have yet to know the sex of the baby and I feel so apprehensive about it. Maybe it's because I'm nervous as to when the baby will be coming. Maybe it's because I have no idea what's going to happen in the next few months. Maybe it's because I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing anymore in homeschooling the boys. Maybe it's because of so much uncertainty, the unknown future. I just feel like I'm supposed to DO something but I have no idea what. And it's bothering me so much. Which is weird because it seems like I'm just doing this to myself for no reason whatsoever. But I really can't help the worries. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night bothered (but most of the time I wake up because I have to pee so badly) and I can't go back to sleep. It's just wearing me out. Friends say, "Don't worry so much, you'll affect the baby." But it's not like I could help it. Sigh... I just wish I had an idea what's going to happen, you know. Even for the rest of the year. Then I know I could breathe a little easier.

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The baby is SO active! And that's an understatement. Sometimes, it moves around so much I get some pins and needles because I suspect it's impinging on a nerve or something. When I feel the bumps moving around, I gently rub it and it seems to like that more. I don't recall Nikki and Ethan being this active at all. Which worries me again because "they" say that increased activity means it's a boy. But then again, Ruther's cousin in the UK said that her baby is so active too and she's carrying a girl. So, am having these conflicting emotions...

I know... Why am I doing this to myself, right?

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I would SO want to work in Japan. I think it would be great to actually live there with the family. Of course, we would have some difficulties, that's a given, but I'm sure, like any migrating family, we would manage somehow. I surely miss the country and I miss the people. I hope to one day go back there and reconnect with Japan once more...

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I want to get out of here. I know it sounds really nasty or bad or ungrateful but this really isn't our home. I would always feel like we're just visitors here. I would rather we have a place of our own, but first, I want to make sure that we know where we're going to live. I know that's pretty hard to plan out at the moment with the baby coming soon, but I just feel like I don't and can't stay here for another year any longer. I want us to have our own home, our own place, our own house. It doesn't have to be grand or huge or expensive. As long as it's comfy, right for us and adequate, I'll be happy...

BEEN GONE FOR SO LONG

I know. I've disappeared from the face of the earth again. I just had so much on my mind (not in a good way) it's a miracle I didn't develop a split personality (yet). I don't know if it's the hormones, the unknown future or whatever uncertainties I have but I just lost track of my blogging life. Which I miss now.

Anyway, before anything else, I just want to say, I MISSED YOU! Okay... updates.

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I'm still pregnant. And it's weird because I thought I was due in October but apparently I miscalculated and according to the 3 ultrasound tests I had, I'm due sometime September 10 or 11 (first utz said Sept 10, second was Sept 11 and the third Sept 10 - so I guess it's going to be a September baby). This means given a few weeks we'll be seeing our baby. The gender, you ask? Well, we're all wondering about that too. Because the baby's legs were so tightly folded and closed the doctors couldn't tell. Which means, we have to wait a few more days before finding out if we're having a girl (at last!) or a boy (again!). Anyway, other than that, the baby is perfectly fine. Been kicking and moving a lot though and I have to go to the bathroom to pee like every 30 minutes which is pretty bothersome because I'm really not a bathroom person. My tummy is so big too. Can't imagine it being this big before but then again, I may be suffering from "pregnancy amnesia". Here's a photo Ruther took of me a few weeks ago...



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It's been raining a lot these days which is a relief from the heat, definitely. I am loving the cool weather and so glad that the summer is waaay over. Just have to be wary of mosquitoes though. Don't want the boys to have dengue or some sickness. A friend of mine had to have her son confined at a hospital because of dengue. And she said that she never imagined it would happen to them. We just have to be real careful, I suppose.

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I finally finished my TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) course! Yay! That's another reason why I didn't have time to blog. I wanted to accomplish everything without procrastinating and I did it! Now I could rest easy. I've been browsing the 'net for some jobs in Japan for wannabes like me and hopefully, after I give birth I could try that. Who knows, I might get hired. I really wouldn't want to try it here in Manila because the pay is so measly. It's like 1/6 of what I would be getting if I work in Japan. It just would not be worth it being away from the kids and earning so little. Of course, I have to talk this over with Ruther but with the way our finances are heading, I just can't sit around anymore. It's scary and I know it's going to be tough but I guess I gotta do what I gotta do...

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It's so hard picking baby names!! Ruther and I have been picking our brains trying to come up with nice possibilities and it's giving me a headache! We do have ideas but it's pretty hard when we have no idea what the sex of the baby is yet. So we're just trying to pick the best ones and maybe decide once we know for sure. It was a breeze picking Nikki's and Ethan's names!

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I started preparing my hospital bag and the baby's bag too. Ruther has been paranoid about getting things ready. He wasn't with me when I gave birth to Nikki at the hospital (he was in Saudi Arabia then) and when I delivered Ethan, he was with me but we had it at a lying-in clinic. So this will be the first time for him to have the birthing at a hospital and although it's only 7 minutes away, he wants everything ready. I'm hoping that this time around there won't be any problems with the birthing and we'll be able to bring the baby home very soon. Nikki and Ethan had to stay a few days longer at the hospital because Nikki had some blood problems and Ethan had to take antibiotics. Am hoping now, it would be a different story...

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I have decided to try to breastfeed the baby. I was unsuccessful with Nikki and Ethan but now, I want to try it out. I'm saying "try" because I don't want to promise to be successful in this endeavor. I might eat my words later on. Anyway, I have been reading on it and have already learned so much. I have yet to read my second breastfeeding book and hopefully that will be very informative as well. I have some friends who are breastfeeding their kids and are willing to help me and provide me with tips and advice and I know I'm going to need their assistance. So yeah, I'm pretty excited! :D

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It's wonderful having Ruther with me while I'm experiencing this pregnancy. He was not with me at all when I had Nikki and he only experienced the last few weeks of my pregnancy with Ethan because he had a project in Japan then. But this time, it's nice to see him interact with the baby by talking and rubbing my tummy. I guess the baby senses it because it moves around so much when we talk to it or when we rub the bumps on my tummy. So cute. Even Ethan is warming up to it. At first he couldn't care any less (especially when my sis would ask him, "Where's the baby?") but once he started feeling the movement, he became quite interested. So now he rubs and kisses my tummy a lot. Can't wait to see the boys with the newborn in a few weeks' time! :D

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Oh yeah, Ethan turned 7 last June 12 and I am now 34 (my birthday was last July 10). Ruther and I also got to celebrate our 10th year anniversary last June 11. Just some of the celebrations we got to experience recently. :D

PREGGY ME

Preggy at 4 months.

BEEN AGES

You must possibly hate me by now.

I've been so terribly busy these past 3 weeks. Mama's helper went home to the province so I have to do most of the cooking, the cleaning and washing, not to mention homeschooling and then studying myself to finish my TEFL (Teach English as Foreign Language) course. So it's been crazy and hectic but at least it's kept me busy until now. May has been such a terrible month weather-wise. Most of the time we spend the day downstairs in the boys' room where the heat is less suffocating. But some days we just can't not use the AC even for an hour or so. The boys have been coughing somewhat which worries me but hopefully, a change in the weather and some Vitamin C will remedy that. I really wouldn't want them getting sick. Anyway, a few more days and May will be over!! Summer will be over! OMG! Am so happy!

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Ruther was supposed to be home on the 29th (Saturday). But because there have been delays in the handover, it was moved to June 4. Of course I was bummed about it! My hormonal self just had to have a tantrum because of this but what else could I do? I suppose I should be glad it's only for a week. But still! Ruther reassured me that once it was over we'd have uninterrupted time together. As much as that gives me hope, I just can't trust the future...

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My pregnancy is going along nicely. I no longer have headaches as frequently as before which is a relief and I don't get nauseous. My appetite has normalized (meaning, less crazy cravings) but because of my busy schedule I haven't had much time to exercise. I just hope I don't look too FAT these days. The baby has been moving around a lot. I could easily feel it from time to time. We still don't know the sex of the baby because I would still want to get the ultrasound when Ruther is with me. So we might know finally by June. Still hoping it's a girl...

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I've been so conflicted these past weeks. I don't know if I should enrol Nikki in regular school or continue homeschooling him. I would still want to HS of course but I worry about his lack of interaction with other kids his age (am not talking about socialization because that's a different story). Ruther said having a playgroup might increase his interpersonal skills. And I could see that but the problem is, the boys don't have cousins and relatives of the same age don't live nearby. It wasn't like when I was growing up, I lived with my grandmother and my cousins lived there too and after school we would all get together and just play until we were good and dirty. Anyway, I've decided to enrol Nikki in a once-a-week homeschool coop class which starts next month. I decided to pick Arts and Music first and hopefully he'll enjoy it and learn to make friends. Am keeping my fingers crossed...

PLEASE LET IT END

It's May. Finally.

A few more weeks and summer will be over. I just hope that the rainy season will hit us earlier than usual. I am so not liking this weather!! It's simply too hot to do anything! I would just either not move and play Cookie Shop on my Nintendo DS or spray myself constantly with water. We have these spray bottles that we've adjusted the nozzles to spray a fine mist and we use that when it simply gets too hot and we've just been out of the shower. I just can't believe how HOT it is!! I've never felt this hot for so long at one time! Really!! We try to stay indoors during the hottest part of the day and go out around 4pm when the heat is more tolerable. I miss my ice shaver and snow cone syrups!! Am going to tell Ruther to send them home ASAP!

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I am worried for the future. And I can't help it. It's just so unpredictable. I don't know how we're going to handle the future, I don't know what's laid out for us. I just hate that I have absolutely no idea what the next few months have in store for us. I just hope that 2010 is a whole lot better than last year. That's all I could hope for.

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Remember the booboo I did last month? When I procrastinated and really regretted not finishing something important? I managed to find a better and cheaper alternative. And I think this one's a whole lot better than the first one! So now, I'm sticking to this like glue until I've accomplished it and once I do, you'll be the first to know. :D

SIZZZZLING...

It's been SO TERRIBLY HOT this summer and I really hate it. And yes, I mean "hate". It isn't pleasant at all being pregnant in this weather. I just wish summer would end already so the rainy season would bring some relief from all this heat!! I have been showering 4 times a day just to keep cool and to keep my headaches at bay. The boys spend mornings and afternoons in their pool and I don't blame them. We can't use the AC anymore because our electricity bill is horrendous! P8,800 for this month!! Imagine that?!?! I can't imagine where the consumption happens but it's just atrocious!!

We would happily spend time in a mall just to stay away from the summer heat but that only means more expense (who goes to the mall without spending for food or stuff?!). Sigh. I absolutely hate summer. And I hate El Nino. And I hate global warming!

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Last night, I met up with some of my High School friends and their families. Out of the blue, Glenda SMS'd me and asked if we could have a get together because our classmate Irene is in Manila for a few days (she lives in Cebu). I said yes after telling Ruther about it. Glenda picked me and the boys up at a nearby mall and we headed for SM Mall of Asia. We ate at a seafood restaurant and even if there were only 6 of us, Glenda, Ritza, Irene, Jasmin Abbie and myself, it was a lot of fun and we were all so noisy (as usual). Anyway, after dinner we strolled for a bit by the bay and took photos. This is the first time I've met up with my friends after so long (excluding Glenda who I see yearly). It was really great. I hope to see more of them again. :)

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My pregnancy is going along fine. Except for the bothering heat, I'm coping quite well. I could definitely feel the baby kicking and it kicks a lot! Am still hoping for a girl. I still want to be pretty. My friends last night all gushed that they hope we would have a girl and I feel the same way. I just think it would be wonderful. I lost my cravings this month, but who knows later on? Ethan is starting to kiss my tummy and to acknowledge that we're going to have a baby later on. I think that's good. So he's prepared and wouldn't think, "where did this baby come from?" He's a jealous guy. He sometimes doesn't want me and Ruther to hold hands!! Silly boy. :D Anyway, a few more weeks and then we'd finally know...

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I am so hating politics in the Philippines. I just think it's so crooked. You don't know whom to trust and once election's over promises are forgotten. That's why I'm staying out of all the election fever. And I'm not voting either. I'm not registered (we were in Japan when the registration took place) and besides, I don't have a candidate in mind. I know it's very apathetic but I really don't give a @*#^.

LAST CLASS

Nikki's summer swim class has taken up much of our time lately. His class is everyday for 10 days (except Sundays) so by the time we get home after his class around 1130 or so, I would have to prepare lunch then bathe Ethan and then spend the rest of the afternoon homeschooling or letting the boys do some learning activities and of course, have their naptime. By evening, I would do some chores (it's just too hot to clean during the day) and then it's showertime for everyone. At around 830pm here, we would have our video chat with Ruther which would last around 45 minutes to an hour and a half sometimes. After our chat, I would either catch up on my shows and then it's time for bed at 12. Yup, we sleep kinda late here but I really don't mind because we always nap in the afternoons.

Anyway, Nikki's last swim class will be tomorrow and after that he could rest his body a bit. He's had fever the other day and missed a day of swim class but made-up for it the next day with a 2-hour session. Unfortunately, I think the 2 hour class took its toll on his body and he's now coughing. Sigh. And he had fever again last night. He's a bit better today and I hope that he'll be ok tomorrow for his last class. I know he'll be sad to end his lessons but I will be glad for him to get some much-needed rest for a change. Don't want him to get any sicker!

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I need to go to the dentist. A new one. My previous dentist's restoration on my upper right front tooth was just lousy. The first time she did it, the restoration came off when I flossed! And then now, a few months after, I have a small hole where the restoration used to be. There's no subtle way of putting it, she's just a really bad dentist. Anyway, I'm planning to go to the dentist this Thursday. I hope our medical card covers the treatment.

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My tummy is now 39 inches big. And I could definitely feel some kicking (or hitting) from the baby every now and then. I've been having less cravings and less headaches (thank goodness!) and my backaches haven't been that bad (yet!). So, am hoping of breezing through this 4th month as calmly as I could possibly can.

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Ethan lost 2 of his milk teeth - one last night and another a few days ago. My boy is not a baby anymore! I feel somewhat elated and worried that my boys are just growing so fast. I mean, even if I'm with them 24/7 I still feel I need to be with them more. Does that even make any sense? I sometimes feel there's just so much I haven't taught them, that we haven't experienced together, that we need to do as a family. And sometimes I feel like time is running out on me. I mean, I'll be 40 in a few years. It's no use trying to sugarcoat it. I know I'm going to have to try to just parent my kids the best way I know how. Hopefully, God will give me a good many years to spend with my kids and Ruther.

SWIMMING CLASS

Nikki started his swimming class a couple of days ago. He was apprehensive at first but got to enjoy it after a couple of sessions. He's going to start his third day tomorrow. Hopefully he'll learn a lot from this experience. :D

I CAN'T BELIEVE...

I forgot to do something important the other day. And I can't believe I forgot! I was supposed to accomplish this important thing before April 1st and I was mentally reminding myself days before to finish it. But of course, I procrastinated. And so I received a notice reminding me that I failed to accomplish my duties before said time. What do I do now? To fix the problem (or shall we say, be granted an extension) I would have to pay around P7,000+ which I really can't do now because it's not in our monthly budget. I would need to save money for Nikki's swimming class this month and also for my prophylaxis and restoration of a couple of teeth when I go to the dentist. Not to mention set aside some money for my eventual birthing. So really, P7,000 is not an option for me to just spend right now, even if it means getting that extension. I KNOW that's the right thing to do, I'd just have to learn to let it go without a heavy heart, you know...

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It's been so warm these past days. I've had some headaches but I try to take a lot of fluids and of course my folic acid (thanks for the reminder Becky!) regularly. Naturally, that means, more trips to the bathroom but we all know that's part of being pregnant, right?

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Maundy Thursday is usually the time when we would do Visita Iglesia or Church Visits. We usually do that when we are in Zamboanga. Last time we got to visit 7 churches. Some of my friends spend the whole day doing Visita Iglesia and prayers. Sometimes, one station of the Way of the Cross per church and it would take them a long time to finish. Here in Manila it's not too common. People here usually spend the Holy Week vacationing someplace. It's just the way it is here I guess, much to the disapproval of the Church. My family, we prefer vacationing when everyone else isn't. It's just less crowded and more fun that way.

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It's finally April. We'll be seeing Ruther next month! Can't wait! :D